Batten Down The Hatches
by Sakurane
Summary: Selina Kyle has too much fun being bad. But when her petty crimes escalate to an altercation with S.H.I.E.L.D, the Avengers take a special interest in the cat burglar.
1. Cat's In The Bag

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Avengers or the Dark Knight characters. Hope you enjoy, don't be afraid of the review button! I really have no idea where S.H.I.E.L.D's base is, but it can move (right?) so I'm gonna say that they parked it near Stark Towers.**

_Prologue:_

_The first time that Natasha Romanov saw Catwoman was at a demonstration in Gotham City. S.H.I.E.L.D had been hired to help with security, and she was about the best security you could get. It helped that the young assassin could blend in much better than a police force, but she was twice as deadly. _

_ Natasha was dressed in her civilian clothing- stretchy skinny jeans, a simple black t-shirt, and combat boots. She had two hand-guns underneath her brown leather jacket, and a knife within the sole right boot. She watched as Commissioner Gordon delivered a speech about rebuilding Gotham at the podium in front of City Hall. She respected his vision for the future, and how he never seemed to give up hope, even after all that happened involving Bane._

_ Natasha was sorry that the man would soon retire, because he was one of the good ones. That was why she hadn't turned down such an easy job. It was a cut-and-dry public service assignment, keeping the piece during Gordon's address. There had been much unrest in Gotham, even after Batman had killed the Bane's reign. Personally, Natasha had doubts that the city would ever be the same, even if a new hero was rising from its ashes._

_ "There will always be someone who can carry this city, someone with hope and conviction. I will never give up on Gotham, and I only ask that the people do not, either." Gordon was saying._

_ Someone in the crowd caught Natasha's attention. It was the spy part of her, the attentive part of her brain that would instinctually react to things out of the ordinary. And though the woman across the courtyard looked perfectly normal, to Natasha's trained eye, she knew that she was too lithe, and her movements were too calculated._

_ The other woman was tall, with long legs covered by nylon tights, and she was wearing unassuming dark dress. Natasha could only see the woman's profile, but from what she could see, she had arched eyebrows and pouty red lips. Her dark hair obscured the rest of her face._

_ Suddenly, the courtyard was filled with the sounds of gunshots. Of course, people panicked, as was expected. But Natasha identified the people holding the guns instantly. There were only five of them, all stupidly gathered closely together._

_Natasha watched the slender woman from the corner of her eye. She started to go to incapacitate her as well, but realized that the woman didn't seem to be with the thugs. She was just riding out the chaos and stealing a couple of wallet along the way._

_ One of the gunmen still waved his gun around, like he was expecting Gordon to cave just because of that. Natasha took this as her signal and started to wade through the crowds. Enough people were running around to cover her advancement towards the men._

_ She passed by the woman, who had at some point slipped a mask on over her face. Within seconds, Natasha had paralyzed the first gunman's arm and was shooting his accomplices with his weapon. She was careful to aim for the legs, because Gordon had explicitly requested that she not kill anyone._

_ She ran to each of the men whom she'd shot, plucking their weapons from their grasp. She wasn't quick enough to get to just one man, who aimed shakily at a little boy who was watching the scene with horror._

_ Natasha's eyes narrowed. She would have to kill this man. She was probably fast enough, but if not... casualties were often inevitable._

_ She rushed to stop the masked man's finger from pulling the trigger, but his hand was broken before he had the chance. The woman in the black mask had the man's wrist pinned with one high-heeled boot, while the other one was crushing the hand holding the gun._

_ "You'd better let go before you hurt yourself, hun." She grabbed the gun as he screamed and tossed it to Natasha, who was trying to hide her surprise. Black Widow was never surprised, or so she liked to tell herself._

_ "Don't mind me... I was just leaving." The masked woman purred, bolting before Natasha had a chance to speak. She hopped over a wall, and the last things Natasha heard was the whirring of machinery... maybe wheels?_

_ Curiosity peaked, she called Fury and issued the all-clear as members of SHIELD and Gordon's team lead away the assailants._

_ Mission accomplished. But she'd found a little mystery in the process._

_ Facial recognition had come up with a blank from Natasha's footage. That was strange enough, given SHIELD's advanced technology. Only people who had something to hide would be absent from the database. Natasha then thought that the woman must be a criminal of some kind. _

_ Tony had come entered his lab to find Natasha pouring over the computer._

_ "Anything that I can help you with, Dollface?"_

_ He'd shut his mouth at the cocking of her gun, pointed at his head. "Don't ever call me that again. And I'm trying to find someone."_

_ After regaining his power of speech, Tony grinned, "I hear that E-Harmony is good for that kind of thing. But we're definitely going to have to work on your profile, because the occupation of "assassin" isn't exactly a deal breaker."_

_ "Shut up, Tony, before I really _do_ blow your head off. And get out if you're not going to help."_

_ Tony ignored her, instead examining the footage of the rally in Gotham that was replaying on the screen. Everything was from Natasha's point of view. He saw her beating men to the ground (nothing new there), but then the view focused on a woman... in a cat mask._

_ "Hey, I recognize that mask! It belongs to Catwoman." _

_ "Catwoman?" She said, irked that Tony Stark knew something that she didn't._

_ "Yeah. I mean, she's a sexy villain in a tight-fitting outfit that shows off curves in all the right places, and who dresses up in a cat costume for a living. Of course I know about her. Although officially, she and her true identity don't exist anymore."_

_ Natasha snorted. "And unofficially?"_

_ "She may or may not be Selina Kyle, the main squeeze of the late Batman."_

Present Day:

That was over a year ago. Natasha had never stopped keeping tabs on the young cat-burglar. Something about Selina Kyle was just too good to ignore. She never did anything sinister enough to warrant SHIELD stepping in, so they let the Catwoman continue doing what she did best- stealing from the rich. She was no Robin Hood, though; she took what she got and kept it. But she was careful to never leave a trace... but SHIELD knew that when something disappeared, Catwoman had probably been there.

"Natasha here has got a little girl-crush," Tony teased her one night, "On Catwoman. Maybe she's just jealous because you both look so damn good in leather."

Natasha had promptly kicked Tony so that he landed square on his butt.

"What? It's like every guy's biggest fantasy: Two hot chicks in spy costumes duking it out. May be add in a little jello or whipped cream..." Tony complained from the floor. Natasha looked around the den at the other Avengers, none of whom were denying it. Except maybe Bruce, who was reading a scholarly journal and probably wasn't even paying attention.

"You're impossible." Natasha told him. She decided that it was time to go to bed and get some beauty rest. Her face was half of her job, after all.

"You know, you could always just leave some cat-nip outside your door or something. Maybe you'll lure your lady-crush here!" Tony yelled after her. She resisted the urge to turn back around and strangle Tony with Pepper's hair tie.

It was ironic how true Tony's words really were, because just two days later, they were awoken by Jarvis sounding an alarm—meaning that Fury really wanted to talk to them.

"We've got company here on base. Someone let a stray in." Fury appeared as a hologram once they were all together in the den. He was practically sneering as he said,

"Catwoman's showed up."

Tony elbowed Natasha, and she glared back.

"Black Widow, Barton, you take care of it. I don't want to get my other men involved unless they have to."

"You're sure we can't join in, Sir?" Tony asked, uncharacteristically respectful to Fury.

"I think we can handle a stray cat." Clint bristled.

"You don't understand, Buddy. I just don't want to miss the girl-on-girl action! It's gonna be quite the show!"

Natasha didn't grace this with a response, and instead swept out of the room. Clint followed close behind.

"And Natasha," Fury called out after her, "Try to capture her alive!"

"Understood, Sir." She said quietly to herself, secretly thankful that she wouldn't have to extinguish such a promising life.

Clint picked up his bow and arrows along the way as they headed to where the video had been cut off on the base. It was just on loop, and they both wondered who was brilliant enough to tamper with S.H.I.E.L.D technology.

Catwoman had already been inside for at least thirty minutes, and that was plenty of time to steal if you were good enough to bypass the security.

"There!" Natasha said, running after a shadow that she saw going into the boiler rooms. Clint ran after her, and they stepped lightly within the gloom. Someone, probably Catwoman, had cut the lights.

"Here, kitty kitty kitty!" Clint sang to himself, listening for any sounds in the base. Selina, who was hiding behind a large pipe, held her breath as he passed. A drop of sweat fell down her temple. She started to slink out but was blocked by Black Widow, who grabbed her shoulder.

She spun out of the red-head's grip and aimed a kick at her head with the momentum, which Natasha blocked easily. Natasha tried to get Catwoman off balance by jabbing her from both sides, but Catwoman held her ground, even landing a couple of hits herself. When Natasha missed a kick, Selina grabbed the other woman's leg and tried to throw her. Natasha just continued with the momentum and back flipped away.

Clint, who had been waiting to get a clean shot, stared after the woman in amazement. "Jesus, she's fast!"

_Maybe even faster than me. _Black Widow thought, but barked, "Don't just gawk at her! Move!"

Selina wasted no time getting out of the boiler room, booking it until she got back to a room with access to the venting system. She punched a button which did exactly what she'd hoped, shutting a metal door behind her. She slid on the floor underneath it as it closed.

Her heart was slamming in her chest as she reached the grate. She snorted. For as advanced as S.H.I.E.L.D defenses were, she couldn't believe how easy it was to get around once you were in.

She took out a pen-like item that shot out a red energy beam, strong enough to cut through small amounts of metal. It did the trick on the grate, and soon she was sliding in. Just moments later, she heard the door behind her explode into pieces, and the Avenger's voices.

As she climbed through the vent system, she thought only of getting out of the ship. She'd parked the Bat-cycle (as she called it) on the ground, and she didn't think that the SHIELD base had moved. She just needed to get out onto the top floor, where she could propel herself down.

Meanwhile, Natasha and Clint realized what she had done.

"All of the vents lead to the top of the base." Natasha said. "We just need to get below her... and then force her out."

"Alright." Hawkeye agreed. They went up a floor and Natasha pointed at the ceiling. She could barely make out a squeaking sound of movement from above them.

She nodded, and Clint loaded up and arrow. When she mouthed "now", Clint let his arrow fly. There was a small boom, and a portion of the ceiling fell, leaving Catwoman clinging from the edge of the metal tube that she'd been crawling in.

Natasha shot a bullet at her at a wicked speed, but missed as Selina dropped to the ground in a graceful roll. She came to a standing position and eyed the SHIELD assassins.

"I didn't think they'd send the big dogs after me... I'm flattered." She said, trying to distract them. It was obvious that Natasha was having none of it. She kept the gun trained at the woman.

"Come on, why don't you loosen up a bit, Widow? You've already got me cornered." She said.

"Animals that are cornered have the sharpest claws." Natasha threw back.

"Well... you got me there." Selina smirked, and whipped a few spherical things out of her belt, throwing them at the agents with lightning speed. She'd "borrowed" the ball-things from Bruce Wayne before she'd left, and she'd had no idea what they did... but apparently they provided a smoke cover. Natasha pulled the trigger instinctively, and Clint sent out an arrow aimed at Catwoman. Seeing both coming, she had time to dodge the bullet as she did a back flip away from them, the arrow only grazing her shoulder. She hissed as another arrow bit deeper into her side. Hawkeye was a better marksman than she'd thought, able to shoot using senses other than his sight.

"Courtesy of Bruce Wayne." She smirked, kissing the spare bomb in her hand reverently and tucking it back under her belt. Sometimes it rocked to be in a relationship with a super-genius who had enough money to make great tools.

Ignoring her pain, she ran at the wall furthest away from Natasha and Clint, using it to give her height as she pushed off it with her foot. She turned mid-air, wincing as her wound flared at the movement, and threw her hands out to catch the ledge that she'd fallen from. She grasped it and started to pull herself up.

Natasha coughed and blinked as tears streamed from her eyes. The entire room was full of black smoke. She blinked enough of the stinging away and saw Catwoman scrambling up onto the next floor.

_No! _She thought, but was mildly impressed at the woman's ingenuity. She touched Clint's shoulder to let him know that she was there, and then said, "I need a boost."

They'd been in enough battles together for him to know what she wanted with very few words. He kneeled down and braced his hands so that she was able to fit her foot onto it. With a surge of strength, Natasha launched herself from Clint's grasp. She leapt higher, higher into the air, and reached for Catwoman's still dangling foot. The two fell in a tangle of struggling limbs with a resounding thud. Both women were on their feet almost instantly, though Selina was feeling the brunt of the fall. She let out labored breaths through her bruised ribs.

The smoke was just thin enough for Clint to see the end of the brawl unfold. Catwoman was avoiding Natasha's strikes, but it was obvious that her pain was slowing her down. Natasha took out her gun, which to Clint's astonishment, Catwoman pushed away with one hand, and her other fist collided hard with Natasha's jaw. This sent Natasha sprawling, while Clint couldn't suppress a laugh. No one ever _punched _the Black Widow!

Natasha threw herself at the Catwoman with a seemingly renewed vigor, quickly subduing her opponent. A few punishing kicks and jabs later, Natasha was poised above Catwoman with her boot crushing the cat-buglar's windpipe and her gun trained at the woman's head. Both were panting heavily, and Clint had to admit that it was one of the most erotic things that he'd ever seen.

_ I guess Tony was right. _

About twenty minutes later, Selina woke up in a cell combined with an interrogation room. They'd knocked her out after the fight.

_Wonderful. _she thought. _I guess I should be getting used to this, though._

And she realized that she was lucky to be alive. Seeing the barrel of a gun so perilously close to her head still sent chills through her. She may have been a thrill seeker, but she wasn't seeking death. She was a thief first and foremost out of necessity. Her joyride through S.H.I.E.L.D had been an exception... a misguided exception.

She found herself staring into the eyes of her almost-killer, and her sidekick.

"Just relax, try to make yourself comfortable." Clint said from where he was seated backwards in his chair. "I hope you enjoy your stay at Chez S.H.I.E.L.D."

"Well, this wasn't exactly how I planned on spending my Saturday night." She gave Clint a forced smile. She wriggled her hands, which were bound by metal cuffs to the chair. Her side hurt much less than before, and she wondered if they had something to do with that.

"That was certainly an impressive demonstration... Miss Selina Kyle." Natasha said thoughtfully. She was seated on the table. Her nose was swelling slightly, to Selina's satisfaction.

"You know who I am, then." Selina's eyes narrowed, and she shook her head. "And you probably knew I was coming from the beginning. Bruce warned me about you guys... you really are in a league all your own."

"Yet you still though it was a good idea to try and steal from us?" Clint said with amusement.

She shrugged. "I wanted to see if the rumors were true."

"And do we live up to your expectations?" Natasha asked a little cruelly. She began cleaning her gun with a cloth, hoping to make the buglar squirm.

"Unfortunately, yes. Still trying to decide if getting my ass kicked was worth it." Selina grumbled. Natasha could see that the brunette was scanning around her for a way out.

_ Good, _the spy thought, _She hasn't given up yet. She's vigilant... also good._

"So you weren't here to steal something in particular?"

"Ah, so it's interrogation time." Clint told her. "You'd better just fess up. Tasha is no fun when she's mad."

"Let's don't, and say we did?" Selina suggested, winking at the archer. "Unless you want to bring out the whips and chains. In that case, be my guest."

"Sorry, that's a no go. Whatever Tasha's got planned is probably ten times worse. If it were me, I'd just try to make this as painless as possible."

Selina seemed to ponder her words for a moment. "I was curious, more than anything... but I have heard _whispers. _There's talk of an enormously powerful item that you people now have in your possession. It's said to contain enough energy to destroy the world... if it fell into the wrong hands. Just think of the possibilities, huh?"

Natasha felt a cold shock go through her. The woman was talking about the _tesseract._

"And how is it that you found out about this story?" She said stiffly. Outwardly, she looked completely unfased though. Keeping her emotions in check was one of her many talents.

"A little bird told me. And before you ask, I couldn't tell you where she is right now. Last I heard from her, she was in Cabo... but I can guarantee that she won't be there when you look."

"You won't give up the identity of this "little bird?"" Natasha guessed.

"I'm sure you'll hear about her soon enough, so no harm in a little gossip between us women. She's known as the Red Fox in the underworld," Selina said, "You should all consider yourself lucky that she isn't swayed by physical things. Not even S.H.I.E.L.D would stand a chance if she wanted something from you. She's the queen of secrets... and something tells me that S.H.I.E.L.D has a lot that they're trying to hide."

Natasha's brain was going a mile a minute. This Red Fox person sounded like she was a possible threat... but she'd never even heard of her.

"So... what are you people going to do to me, anyway? Because I think I'd like to request a phone-call."

"We're one step ahead of you, Miss Kyle," Clint grinned, "Luckily, you had your kitty-tags on. We'll get you home safely, don't worry."

.

Bruce Wayne received a phone call from Phillip Coulson that night.

"I don't suppose that you're missing a few important things, are you, Wayne?"

"Not that I know of... why?" He asked, puzzled.

"It looks like some smoke bombs have walked out of your hands."

He groaned. "You must have found my lost cat. My things have a habit of disappearing when she's around."

"I expect you want her back, then?" Coulson fought hard to keep his voice professional, because he could imagine Bruce Wayne's frustration on the other end.

"Sometimes, I wonder. She's really nothing but _bad luck."_

**There you have it... a sexy Selina Kyle mixed with the deadly Black Widow. I hope that I did okay with the fight scenes, because it's hard to translate them from my head into words! Review, pretty please, I love my readers even more when they do.**


	2. The Oncoming Storm

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Avengers or the Dark Knight movies.**

**Thank you to everyone who favorite/reviewed/followed this story. Your reaction to it made me really want to make BDTH (yes, I made an acronym, don't judge) as spectacular as possible!**

**So, here's chapter two… and… wait! Is this a hint of a plot! Why yes, it is! I hope you enjoy some more Selina Sexiness. **

**Also I'm really warming up to the BlackCat pairing... maybe in another story? **

**Anyway, don't be afraid of that review button!**

"I'm gonna be watching the security footage in the den. Popcorn, anyone?" Tony offered the rest of his team. He received blank stares. "No? Alright, I guess more for me, then."

He plopped onto the sofa with his bowl in one hand, glass of alcohol in the other. He told Jarvis to turn on the tape, which the AI obliged.

The video began with heavy, seemingly female, panting, and Clint couldn't deny that he wanted to join Tony. The billionaire grinned and gestured for the archer to sit beside him.

"I'm just going to pretend that I didn't see this." Bruce Banner shook his head and left the room. Steve looked disgusted.

"Come on, Captain. It's your duty as a leader to take notes on fights so you know your team mate's strengths and weaknesses." Tony said. This did seem to sway the blonde, because he sighed and sat in the furthest possible seat away from he and Clint. Tony practically squealed in glee at the idea of corrupting the straight-laced Captain.

"You don't mind if I join you, do you?" Came a voice from the doorway. There stood Bruce Wayne, his usual miniscule smile on his face.

Tony grinned and stood to give the man a proper man-hug, telling Jarvis to pause the movie. "Wayne, baby, it's been way too long! And how did you even get in?"

"I _was_ the one who came up with the schematics for your security system." Wayne said a little smugly.

"_Bzz, _wrong- _Lucius _designed the schematics. You just approved them."

"Hey, that's a big job too. It's my name on everything we produce, so it's got to be up to my standards."

Tony stepped back and left room for the newcomer to walk in. As the man did, he walked to the spare chair with a slight limp. Tony noticed this with masked concern.

Wayne explained, "I fixed it once, just so I could fight again, but since it was no longer necessary, I stopped the treatment. Now my leg just gets stiff once in a while."

"I could take a look at that, you know..." Tony said.

"Thanks, but I'll pass. The life where I needed this leg is over, anyway. Now it's just a reminder that I'm only human."

Tony didn't argue with Bruce Wayne's logic, although he did disagree. You never knew when your role was really over.

Clint cleared his throat, announcing his presence to the friends. He and Steve were observing the man with curiosity. They'd seen him before, somewhere...

"Right. Introductions. Guys, this is Bruce Wayne, an old business buddy of mine. The Wayne family has been dealing with Stark industries since both our fathers were alive." Before they could make the connection, he continued, "Oh, and he's also the Batman."

Both men stifled gasps. Steve, being the sweet man that he was, jolted out of his chair with an extended hand.

"I'm a huge fan, sir- I mean, I admire you for what you did for your city." Steve stumbled, trying to sound less geeky. He'd heard all about the troubles in Gotham, and felt nothing but the greatest respect for the man. Everything that he'd gone through was just... tragic. He couldn't imagine what it felt like to be considered a villain over night, and still fighting for people who didn't believe in you. Not that he felt pity for Bruce Wayne, because he knew how awful it felt to be pitied, but he just hoped that he himself would have the strength to do what Wayne had done if he was ever put in that situation.

"Same to you. My father used to tell me stories about you. Even had a few Captain America trading cards." Wayne said, taking the larger man's hand, but not standing up.

Clint was still staring open-mouthed. He considered Batman to be kind of a legend. I mean, he swooped around in the dead of night, for god's sake. And yet there he was, catching up with Tony Stark of all people, about to watch two girls punch each other.

Really, what was the world coming to?

But Clint found himself laughing along with the man-of-legends, both cringing when one of their ladies landed a solid hit. Tony was teasing Wayne by saying things like, "I'll bet Selina has even better moves in the bedroom", and "All I have to say is that there's nothing better than a pussy-cat fight. Me-ow!".

"She's certainly a special one." Clint offered towards the end of the fight. It was just after Selina had clutched the edge of the partially collapsed floor, dangling above them.

"I thought so," Wayne said, "And that's why I can't seem to let her go."

Clint could understand how it felt to be captivated by stealthy women. And Wayne genuinely seemed fond of the cat burglar.

The screen froze on a scene of Natasha pinning Selina for a final victory. They could all see the defiance in Catwoman's eyes.

"And on that note… I'll go talk to the little thief herself." Wayne said, rising from his seat. "Thanks for the show, Tony."

"You'll have to come back for a drink later tonight," Tony winked, "Cap'll take you to the holding cells. I think he'll like some alone time with his _idol."_

Steve pointedly ignored this comment, but did lead Wayne out of the room.

"I don't know how you can handle living with Tony Stark day in and day out." Wayne chuckled as they were waiting for the elevator.

"Well… it hasn't been easy," Steve admitted. "Sort of a constant trial, actually. And it seemed like you know each other pretty well?"

"Well enough to know what a handful he is. I've met Tony many times over the years, at functions and fundraisers, mostly. But we had a lot in common, so we'd go out for a drink once in a while. As sad as it sounds, Tony was my closest friend for much of my life, other than my childhood friend and my butler. It didn't help that I was training with a ninja group for a large chunk of it."

Steve wanted to ask so many questions… but it wasn't in his nature to be nosy like Tony. He knew what it was like to have secrets, to have things that he'd rather not talk about. So he wouldn't pry into the Dark Knight's past, no matter how much he yearned to.

Wayne followed Steve to the floor with cell where they were holding Selina Kyle. He said goodbye with a second handshake, and Wayne nodded his thanks. There were several empty barred cells, but one contained exactly what he was looking for.

"Oh, Mister Wayne, you _shouldn't have. _Giving me conjugal visits already? Or maybe you're here to spring me?"

"None of the above, I'm afraid. And you're fully capable of getting yourself out, judging from all the "toys" that have gone missing from my collection." He told her.

She grinned. "Well, maybe. But it's always been a fantasy of mine- to have a knight in shining black armor blow up an entire prison, just for me."

"I think S.H.I.E.L.D is a little more fortified than the county jail."

"Fortification has never stopped you before. In fact... I think you like the challenge. Makes you feel like the big, strong man that you are_._"

"Breaking and enteringis more _your _style. And stop trying to seduce me, I'm not bailing you out. You're going to have to suffer the consequences, and whatever punishment S.H.I.E.L.D decides fits."

"Little ol' me, trying to _seduce _you? You've got me all wrong, Brucey." Selina said coyly.

Bruce couldn't help but smile. Then he sobered, realizing where they were..

"Selina, you can't use my technology for _criminal activity!" _Bruce said exasperatedly.

"It's not my fault that you don't lock up your stuff properly." She said, with what was dangerously close to a pout.

"It wouldn't matter if I locked everything up on the bottom of the ocean. You'd still find a way to get what you want."

"That's what makes me so irresistible." Selina sidled up to him, despite the bars still between them. "And why you love me so much."

"I never said that I loved you." Bruce smirked. Her lips were grazing his ear, and he could feel her breath on his neck.

"But actions speak louder than words, Mr. Wayne."

SELINAKYLESELINAKYLESELINAKY LE.

Clint and Natasha came to unlock Selina's cell twenty minutes later. Wayne had actually managed to get a small apology out of the cat-burglar in that time, which had contributed to him asking Fury for a pardon. Fury had agreed, because it had been more of an experiment anyway (not that he told Wayne this). Nor did he tell Wayne that Selina had most certainly passed said test.

"Thanks for taking such good care of me, boys," She told Clint and Fury, "And you too, Red." She said, smirking at Natasha.

"You have great potential," Natasha admitted, "I believe you could do great things with your... talents. If you were willing to work for it, that is."

She waved her hand dismissively. "I think I'll pass. Once a thief, always a thief."

"Hey, don't be so hasty." Clint jumped in. "It's been a long time since I've seen anyone give the Black Widow a run for her money. That's saying something if you're good enough to keep _her _on her toes. It would be a real shame for someone with so much talent to go to waste."

Natasha didn't disagree, but Selina tilted her head with a dry smile.

"Thanks for trying to heal my bruised ego, Hotshot... but Red here barely broke a sweat. I didn't stand a chance, and you both know that. I had fun playing, though. Maybe we'll meet again in the future."

"Hopefully you won't be on the wrong end of my bow next time. And you won't be stealing from us."

"We'll see. Cats are notoriously unpredictable, after all."

SELINAKYLESELINAKYLESELINAKY LE.

Selina and Bruce were seated in the back of a limo, each nursing a glass of wine. Selina was looking out the window as the tall buildings of New York passed by, lost in her thoughts. Bruce didn't speak for most of the trip back to the hotel, and instead passed the minutes watching the fascinating woman across from him.

"See something you like?" She asked quietly, not looking his direction. Yes, indeed he did. She had abandoned her cat-suit for a plain sleeved black dress, showing off her every curve, and the delicate skin of her neck.

"Do you think you'll talk to them again?"

"To SHIELD? I don't know. I liked that Natasha woman… she was interesting."

"They were offering you something great, Selina. They were offering you a new life. One where you won't be stealing or playing the villain." Bruce said, hoping that she would understand what an opportunity she was being graced with.

"Unlike you, big rich-boy, I can't just sit around enjoying my vacation time. I need food and money to survive." She replied a little tersely.

"You know that I want to help support you. You don't _have_ to steal anymore." Bruce said, but knew that he was just repeating the same argument that they'd had many times before.

"I don't want your _help, _Wayne. I'm not some damsel in distress, nor am I a gold digger."

"Well... that's debatable." His lips quirked. "Besides, when we first met, you were more than willing to use me for my money. You made it your goal to steal as much from the people who leave so little for the "rest of us"."

Selina gave a wry smile. "Things have changed since then. You're not like the others, Bruce. I can't use you like that... not when you nearly gave away everything. That's more than I ever could have done."

Bruce reminded her, "You could have run away that day, Selina. But you _didn't. _That proves that you have just as much potential to be good as I do. Maybe even more, because you didn't grow up with the opportunities that I had."

"I'm not good, Bruce. I'm just trying to survive. I've done a lot of things that I'm not proud of."

"But you've overcome them. If there's one thing I've learned... it's that it's the purist people in the world who you must be wary of. Because those are the ones who have the furthest to fall."

"Why don't I show you just how corrupt I can be?" She murmured into his ear, nipping it for good measure. She slid her body over his, kissing his neck languidly.

One thing that Bruce Wayne had learned was that Selina Kyle was masterful when it came to distraction.

SELINAKYLESELINAKYLE.

The next month, an explosion rocked Gotham City to its core.

Selina and Bruce had been staying in New York during that time, where they were staying as far under the radar as they could. Even with fake id's, Bruce Wayne's face was still recognizable if you were observant enough. Most of the time he could pass it off as coincidence, though. But still, she and Bruce had indulged themselves with fancy dinners, ferry rides, and day trips around the city. They were enjoying the life that they'd never even imagined before.

In hindsight, Selina thought that she should have seen it coming. When she'd last contacted Red Fox, the information dealer had coyly told her, "Don't get to comfortable with domesticity, Kitten. Your role isn't over yet."

She could have kicked herself when she realized just how soft she'd become. She hadn't stolen anything for anything but her own amusement in ages, and she was allowing herself to be pampered, slowly being lulled into an existence of normalcy and comfort. She was transforming into one of the vapid rich people that she'd always hated.

Selina and Bruce watched the destruction on the news in their hotel room. A building down the street from Wayne Industries had been blown to smithereens. Not even a brick was left. 300 workers dead. An entire city terrified again.

"It was just an accident. Some kind of terrorism," Bruce murmured quietly. Selina changed the channel, not wanting to see any more of Gotham. But neither of them could shake the feeling that the attack meant something more.

Perhaps it was time to sharpen her claws.

SELINAKYLESELINAKYLESELINAKY LE.

The Joker opened one eye as a figure swept into his confinement cell. The woman with a blonde ponytail rushed to him with a flurry of movement in her lab coat. She was panting as she told him,

"I've seen him, I've seen him Mister J!"

A calculating expression flitted across Joker's scarred face, now free of makeup. "You're sure about that, Harley? Cuz you know how much I hate disappointment."

"No, I'm positive. Saw him with my own two eyes! You were right, like always!"

"I knew that he wasn't dead. There was no way that he'd leave me, not my precious Batty… I knew he wasn't dead!" The Joker repeated until he fell into a fit of giggles.

"I've done good, haven't I, Mister J? I get my reward, right?"

"Harley, you're a real doll," Joker said, licking his lips, "I'm a man who keeps his promises. What do you want? Something tells me there's more to you than that. You wouldn't want something so typical as money or power… You're more special than that. That's why you and I understand each other so well, right?"

"Could I maybe… get a little kiss?"

The Joker let out a little whoop of glee. "Now, that's more like it."


	3. The Mantle

**Hello again, guys! Hopefully the plot doesn't seem too rushed. Also, sorry about the bad language in this chapter. **

**I do not own the Avengers characters or those of the Dark Knight. Or Marvel's Harley Quinn.**

Harleen Quinzel was different, and that was why he could use her.

The Joker would have even ventured to say that he enjoyed her company in a strange way. But most of all, she was useful.

Harley was intelligent, clever, and could think for herself. But she was completely loyal to the Joker, and that was something invaluable. Although he may have had other followers, they were inconsistent and unpredictable. Harley, on the other hand, was the only person he could trust in the entire world. She would obey him without question.

Hell, if he told her to shoot herself, she'd buy the bullets herself. She _trusted _him.

That gave Joker the strangest sort of pleasure.

.&.

Bruce and Selina received numerous calls from Agent Coulson over the course of the week. They ignored the first few, but soon the situation escalated to something beyond Bruce's worst nightmares.

There were three more explosions after the first one, each targeting a building in New York. The last was a bomb that went off down the street from the Avengers Tower. They were small, killed very few people, but they did the job.

Bruce knew that someone was sending him a message.

This message became clear when a comical rendition of the Joker's face appeared spray painted on the side of the Avengers Tower.

When the media rushed to the scene, they were met with an even more disturbing sight.

In a flash of smoke and sparklers, a petite figure did a cartwheel and landed before the crowd. The person was dressed in a patchy black and red jester's outfit, ruffled cuffs around the wrists and around the neck, with clownish white makeup and heavily lined eyes.

When the figure spoke, it was plainly a female voice, shrill and full of excitement. "I wanna thank you all for coming… I'm so glad that the whole world is gonna see Mr. J's brilliance come to life!"

She twirled around a few times, showing off her handiwork with a spray can in one hand.

"It's the beginning of a whole new era, and you're all lucky enough to witness it firsthand! But there's oooone little thing that has to be erased for everything to work. One person is hiding, and Mr. J reeeeally doesn't like that! And when Mr. J is upset… well, things blow up. It's the Batman we want, you see. And if he doesn't face Mr. J, things are gonna get pretty messy back in Gotham. I wouldn't wanna test Mr. J's patience, Batman. Anyway, that's all I gotta say for now! Toodles, everyone, and I hope you enjoy my masterpiece!"

The crowd let out alarmed screams as more colored smoke appeared, completely blinding them. When the smoke cleared, the jester girl was gone.

What she left behind were nearly a hundred people lost in their own minds, clawing at their faces in terror. It was a bloody day in New York.

.&.

"Bruce, you don't have to do this!" Selina protested softly. She had dressed in all black, somberly following Bruce all the way to the Avengers Tower. But she didn't want to be there again.

"I do, Selina. Something's going on here, and I can't just wait for this psycho to hurt more people. Not when it's obviously me that she wants."

"You may be ready to lay down your life again, but I'm not." She said bitingly. Bruce cupped her cheek with his hand and she looked away.

"I would never ask that of you. You have a new life for yourself. Live it as you wish."

He gave her a sad half smile as he walked to the door and waited for someone to let him in.

Selina let out a growl of frustration and stalked up to him, landing a rough kiss on his lips, almost hoping it would bruise. He would deserve it, the selfish, self-sacrificing bastard!

"I want my new life to have you in it!" She said when they parted, a little breathlessly, "You obviously still need me around to stop you from doing anything stupid!"

The door opened, and Tony Stark's snarky voice interrupted them, "I hate to break up this tearful moment… but Houston, we have a problem."

"Good to see you too, buddy," Bruce said under his breath as Tony escorted them through the tower, up several floors, and into a lab.

A disheveled man was seated casually in the corner, apparently waiting for them to arrive. Bruce Wayne could guess who the man in the lab coat was, because he only knew of one Avenger who had the capabilities of rivaling Tony Stark in a scientific setting.

"Bruce Banner, am I right? I'm Bruce Wayne, I don't think we've been properly introduced." Bruce Wayne said with his usual disarming smile. Banner returned it with a pathetically small one of his own.

Tony snorted, going to his computer and sitting on his spinny office chair. "Batman, Big Green Rage Monster, get cozy, because we've got lots to talk about. And the lady too, of course."

While Tony typed away furiously, keys clacking loudly, Bruce introduced Selina to Banner.

Selina said playfully, "I'm just glad that I didn't run into your green friend last time I paid SHIELD a visit."

Banner chuckled with self-deprecation. "If you had, then I probably wouldn't have the pleasure of seeing your pretty face right now, Miss Kyle."

"How lucky for us that you turned out to be harmless," Tony interjected, drawing their attention to a large screen that had descended from the ceiling.

"I've been doing a little research on our little Jester friend. As it turns out, so has SHIELD. They've been keeping an eye on Clown-Face since his face off with the Batman."

"So you mean that you could have prevented this?" Bruce said, his jaw going taught.

"Not _me; _SHIELD could have, if they'd really looked hard enough. They just didn't think that Joker would be a threat for at least another year. This wouldn't be the first time that they overlooked something critical. But they underestimated the interference from the outside. Apparently Bane wasn't the last baddie who wanted to see Gotham on its knees… and it seems that they want Joker to do it. He has the scum of the earth trying to spring him. And I'm not surprised—from what I've heard, not even Bane could compare to the sheer chaos that the Joker caused last time."

Tony was right. Bane was psychotic on a larger scale, but he was calculating and controlled. Joker was neither of these things. He was a maniac who wanted to see the world burn at his feet. Joker was nearly impossible to understand, and even more unpredictable.

"They're releasing a mad dog, and they've convinced themselves that it won't bite back," Bruce said with disgust, "But what kind of enemies are we really dealing with this time? Who helped him?"

"You're dealing with Harleen Quinzel." Banner handed Bruce Wayne a file from the counter with more details. "She was a psychiatrist at Arkham Asylum. Somewhere along the way, she ran into the Joker. SHIELD contacted Arkham, and apparently the Joker's been sprung along with a few other high security inmates. It's definitely him. He left a body in his cell, mangled and carrying a message, confirming that we'd been bested. Or in his words, _"I always carry a spare key. Better luck next time, Gotham."_ "

"He always did like to gloat. How did they escape?" Bruce asked, expression turning dark. He wondered who else had escaped, but at the moment, the Joker was the most dangerous, and thus his priority.

"Well my first guess would be the incompetency of the asylum's workers and law enforcement. But from what I've gathered by hacking SHIELD's surveillance history, the Joker had been in contact with several large crime bosses. He was using his sympathizers to create a new empire right under SHIELD's noses. Other than the crazy bitch who vandalized my precious tower." Tony muttered the last bit irritably.

Bruce felt his hands shaking, both from rage and fear. Rachel's face flashed before his eyes. He wanted nothing more than to see the Joker dead for what he'd done. For how he'd corrupted Harvey Dent and turned everything to hell. How he'd turned the Batman into a villain.

"I thought SHIELD was supposed to prevent this kind of thing," Selina started scathingly, "What the hell good are you if you can't even see this coming when the facts are right in front of you?"

The lab door slid open, and Natasha Romanov entered with her usual smooth gait. Steve and Clint Barton followed, dressed in civilian clothes, but still imposing figures.

Natasha captured Selina's stare and held it. "This organization isn't perfect, I can attest to that, Miss Kyle. And neither are the people running it. That's where we step in to pick up the slack."

"You've got an entire team of superheroes on your side this time, Mr. Wayne," Barton gestured at all of the Avengers, "That psycho clown doesn't know who he's dealing with."

"And there's no way I'll let his giggly girlfriend get away with defacing my precious Tower!" Tony added, like it was the greatest offense that could be done to the genius. Maybe it was, because Bruce knew that Tony had always hated it when people touched his stuff.

"We'll get him, Mr. Wayne. Don't worry." Natasha said firmly, as cold as ice. Selina had no doubt that the Avengers would be worthy adversaries for the Joker. She just hoped it would be enough.

.&.

Although it felt inherently wrong to be relaxing, Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle were doing just that.

Movie night with the Avengers. They were all huddled in Tony's mini theatre, installed with much more comfortable seats and completely private. Bruce had to admit, it was practically heaven.

He went to sit down and winced with discomfort, suddenly glad that he'd grabbed his cane. His leg had been bothering him more that usual lately, and he'd been forced to begin carrying a cane with him from time to time, when it stiffened almost to the point of uselessness. Whenever he was in pain but didn't want to admit it, Selina would just hand him the cane without a word, never asking questions. She helped to ease him into the seat now, squeezing his hand as she did.

He sent Selina a grateful look. She never pitied him in his crippled state. She winked at him as she snuggled up beside him, her hair falling like a curtain across his shoulder.

Natasha and the archer, who Bruce now knew as Clint, were seated the furthest away, because the archer had a thing for having the birds-eye view of everything. Though there was a seat between the assassins, there was an obvious connection between them that they were choosing to ignore.

Tony had convinced Pepper to join them, and he was closer to the screen, not caring about the volume since his ears eardrums were constantly being bombarded by Black Sabbath in the lab daily. Banner gave the couple a bit of space, but was only a couple of seats away.

Steve had even invited a lady friend named Diane Kerry, a young intern from Stark Industries. Before the lights went out in the theater, everyone chuckled as the soldier attempted awkward conversation, and the girl blushed prettily at whatever he was saying.

Basically, Bruce hadn't been that happy in a long time.

But of course, their repose was short lived.

Halfway through The Amazing Spider-Man, the screen shut off without warning. Static replaced the blackness.

"What the—" Tony began in confusion. The static was cut off by a barking laugh, then the sound of heavy breathing.

The face of the mad Joker appeared on the screen.

Bruce would have known those eyes anywhere.

"Hey there, Batty… I know you're out there, somewhere. Watching as the world falls around your feet. You think you're safe, right? You think you're all _safe… Wrong!_ Come out and _face me, _you know we haven't ended it. You want me dead, and here's your chance! Don't be a coward… you and I aren't like other people. We can't live normal lives… no way! We're destined for something far greater!" The Joker licked his lips, eyes moving wildly. "You remember what my lovely Harley Quinn said last time, don't you? I'm not a patient man… and I don't like cowards. You thought that you'd already lost everything, but I'm gonna prove to you that there's _always _something more to lose. Rachel Dawes? She was only the beginning. I'll make you crawl on your knees and beg for mercy by the time I'm through with you. Starting with… oh, I don't know… maybe I should burn down your manor just like you did? But this time, it won't be _empty. _Ooh, that'd be a real _laugh!" _

Selina knew that the Joker was talking about the children that were being housed in the manor. She'd visited them a few times, gotten to know the young girls there.

Bruce felt his blood turn to ice at the sight of Joker's maniacal laughter. Selina stiffened beside him, a steadying hand on his arm. She wasn't trying to restrain him, only calm him down. But her efforts were doing very little good at the moment.

Every ghost that had ever haunted him since he'd become the Batman was resurfacing. He felt a pounding in his temple, wondering why his memories just couldn't leave him in _peace. _But his past had never wanted to stay buried, not since he was a child. That was why he'd taken a mantle of vengeance.

The Batman would never leave him because he was not just a man anymore—he was a symbol of something greater. The Joker may have twisted the sentiment, but in a sick way, he was _right._

"You see," Joker continued pensively, "I just might have a series of bombs surrounding the outskirts of Gotham. And they may or may not be ready to blow if I don't get what I want. Or I _could _be bluffing. The question is, do you want to test that theory? I guess you have two options: One, you can surrender yourself to me, and it'll all be over. I'll move on and torture some other town and country. You'll be saving thousands of lives, people you've known your whole life, _again_. _Or, _you can test me and send your little Avengers gang after me, even though you don't know where any of the bombs are, and time is running out even as you listen to this message. They can try and find them and dismantle them… but if they're even a second late… _**BOOM!**_Everything goes up in smokes… people will die, Bruce Wayne. Are you prepared to pay the consequences for letting me live? For not breaking your rule? You have twelve hours, Batty, before kids and people start dying. And just to prove to you that I'm really not lying… here's a little demonstration."

The camera shook as the focus shifted away from the Joker and on to a building, one that Tony recognized with a gasp.

It was the Avengers Tower.

The fucker was right outside.

"Three… two… _one." _Joker said, a wide smile growing steadily smaller.

He raised his hand with a detonator and pressed.

Tony yelled as his beloved tower had a sizable chunk taken out from the bottom. Not enough to topple it, and they could barely feel it in the theatre room, but he calculated that the damage would be enough to leave him with a decent sized bill—even for someone as rich as Tony Stark.

"Seriously, _again!? _Why can't villains just leave my baby alone!" He wailed. He ordered JARVIS to turn the light back on.

"Barton, Stark, you're with me!" Natasha barked, all easiness gone as she jumped to action, "We're going try and take out the Joker. It was live, so he shouldn't get too far."

Steve nodded. "Fine, then I'm going to figure out where the other bombs are. I'll take Doctor Banner with me. Maybe he can help."

"Alright. And if Banner can't help… maybe the Hulk can."

Banner cringed at that. "I think I'll be of more use here. If the bombs were made using some sort of radiation, I can probably identify the source. Assuming that he's using the same kind here as he is in Gotham. That will help you find the others, because they will have a similar form of radiation. Not so different from tracking Loki." Banner said, earning several sharp looks at the mention of the God of Mischief.

Natasha nodded her acceptance of that, and revised her orders so that Stark would take the Iron Man suit and try to locate the Joker or Harley Quinn from the sky.

Without so much as a word, Natasha and Clint bolted from the room, Tony heading up to the roof to get his armor on. Steve headed out with his date and Banner, who was muttering about some scientific tools that he needed.

Selina was still reeling from the reality that she was once again being plunged into a battle of wills with a megalomaniacal super-villain, while she Bruce tore after them. He barely made it to the door before his knee buckled beneath him, and he let out a grunt of pain as he collapsed onto the ground. Selina felt her breath leave her body momentarily when she saw this. She was at his side in an instant.

"Bruce!"

"Don't try and stop me, Selina. I've got to- They can't do this. _They can't hurt my city."_

"You're in no condition-" She trailed off, seeing the man continue to struggle to his feet. His cane was discarded a few feet away, but it didn't look like Wayne had any intention of taking it.

"Something has to be done." His voice was slow and measured. She could see the haze of determination in his eyes, the same determination that had driven him to become the Batman, and what had lead to him defeating Bane. But it seemed so out of place now, so _wrong._

"_No. _I won't let you." Selina's voice cracked. "This isn't your duty anymore, Bruce. You _can't."_

She stood up, swallowing to keep her emotions under control. Bruce was watching her with burning eyes, but he seemed unable to speak. He knew that she was right. His fist clenched, and he glanced at his injured leg. When he looked back at Selina, she saw a great amount of regret and sadness in those dark features.

He reached out to her, and she crouched to take his hand in hers. He ran his rough thumb over it, than released her. Tension seemed to leave his body.

Selina turned away and refused to take one more look at him. She wouldn't look back, not that day. Neither of them could bear it.

She would do what Bruce Wayne no longer could.

Her role was not over yet.

.&.

**Love it? Hate it? REVIEW IT. **


	4. An Interlude: The Clown's Puppets

**An Interlude: The Clown's Puppets**

**First of all, you readers are the best! Really, I've gotten such great feedback, be it in reviews, or in subscriptions. Thanks so much. On a side not, I just realized how obsessed I am with Harley Quinn. I've started the last two chapters with some variation of her name. Kudos to anyone who realized whose gas it was last chapter! I couldn't resist having some Joker-Scarecrow interaction. Consider this interlude an apology for my slow updates. Please tell me if you think they're OOC or anything!**

**As usual, I don't own The Dark Knight characters, or Marvel's Harley Quinn. Though I am going to be her for Halloween.**

.&.

Harley Quinn felt the rush of power and exhilaration rush through her body. It sent tingles all the way to her toes. She knew that Mr. J would be proud of her. She was doing his work, and that was all she'd ever wanted—to stand beside him in his new world. To understand a mind that far surpassed her own. His charisma wasn't something that an average person would understand, but to Harley, it was utterly fascinating.

She had changed into civilian clothing in a taxi after her performance at the Avengers Tower, then shot the driver after a few blocks. She hadn't even gotten a drop of blood on her white t shirt. She removed her makeup and suddenly felt very naked. She just wasn't herself when she wasn't Harley Quinn. _Harleen Quinzel,_ the suppressed civilian psychiatrist, was a mask that she'd been wearing for far too long.

She walked the rest of the way to a seemingly abandoned warehouse in the middle of town. After checking that no one was following or watching her, she entered the access code and entered the building.

She blinked to clear her vision in the darkness. But she wasn't scared. She was a familiar with darkness as she was with the light. She'd been uneasy in the darkness before she'd become Harley Quinn, but conquering her fear had been the first lesson that Doctor Crane had taught her.

"That was quite a show you put on, Harley," A man's voice said, tinged with mockery. It was young but had many years of experience wrapped within it.

"The whole world will know about Mr. J now." She grinned wildly, recognizing the voice. "I can't thank you enough for your help, Doctor. That gas really worked wonders! Mr. J was right about you… you really are a genius!"

A man in a shabby beige suit snorted, finally stepping out of the shadows. Her eyes had adjusted, and she could now make out the sunken features of the "insane" Doctor Crane, licking his lips nervously, a habit that he'd picked up from the Joker.

"I'm glad to see it put to good use. The _fear _in those people's eyes…" He gave a satisfied sigh.

Harley looked dubious. "Is that all you want out of your life, Doctor? _Fear? _You could do so much more…"

"Don't tell me what I want or don't want, _Harleen Quinzel,"_ the Doctor snarled, "You're nothing but a pathetic puppet. We're _all _nothing but pawns in a greater game. You may not understand why I relish seeing people scream. It's more than sadism, unlike your boss. Every person walking this earth has to fear something. It may be born of infinite many sources, sometimes completely unexplainable. Fear needs no reason, and it defies all logic of the mind. It's the most intoxicating and complex emotion imaginable, and one thing that all humans have in common."

Their faces were within inches of each other now. Harley could feel Crane's shallow breathing. She occasionally felt close to this man, the Doctor, whom she could never quite understand any more than she could the Joker. They were allies, she and Doctor Crane. When she'd busted him out of Arkham, she'd entwined her pinky with his and said sweetly, "_'Till death do us part."._ And she'd meant it, because once you entrusted your life to the Joker, there was no going back.

"I'm not afraid of much." She admitted to him with wide eyes.

"Not even the Joker?" Crane inquired silkily. Not even a flicker of doubt crossed the young woman's face. She stared back at him steadily and then shook her head.

"You _should _be afraid, Harley. Because when the curtain falls, neither of us are going to have a place on _his_ stage."

.&.

**So, question: Is anyone interested in a follow up story involving Crane and Harley Quinn? Because I could definitely roll with that after Batten Down The Hatches.**


	5. Her Sharpened Claws

**Whew—this is by far my longest chapter ever! I hope you'll forgive me for being such a horrible updater. Duhduhduh... angst ensues, because I apparently cannot write a fic without some angst in it. I do not own Avengers or The Dark Knight.**

.&.

.&.

Selina slipped her cat-suit on like a second skin. The material, encompassing her entire body, was all-too familiar. Only when she finished with the zipper did she feel a cold chill go through her.

She wasn't stealing this time. She was fighting for her future with Bruce. That was the only motivation that ever rid her of her selfish inclinations. When it had been between living in oppressed bliss under Bane's rein and the spark of passion that she felt with Bruce, she's chosen the latter. She would _always _choose him.

She assured herself that she wasn't choosing the _Avengers._

The word still made her want to curl her lip. They were still just idealistic heroes.

Twelve hours.

Would they make it?

Natasha Romanov was waiting for her outside the tower. Although she'd admitted to "making an exception" by letting Selina join them on the mission, she had said so with a good-natured and small smile. Natasha knew that Selina's talents shouldn't be wasted in a situation like this, and that the young thief had more reason than any of them to want Joker dead.

Clint looked up when she strutted out of the tower, hips swaying provocatively. He whistled appreciatively and said, "Looking good, Kitty Cat!"

"Just getting back in the swing of things." She purred back. Natasha just stared back humorlessly. The assassins were leaned against a car, and Selina wanted to roll her eyes. Bruce's gadgets were _so _much better. She was so used to the Bat-cycle that her need for speed was almost incorrigible.

"You know… I think I'll take my own wheels. Just keep in contact and tell me when we find the Joker."

"Okay, Banner should be able to figure out where he's keeping the bombs in a few minutes—he's a genius, after all." Clint said with confidence.

"He'd better be," Selina muttered, pulling her mask from her head down over her face. She stalked away after assuring Natasha that she was in contact with the rest of the Avengers, as well as her. The red headed assassin gave her a nod and Selina went to where she'd parked the Bat-mobile in the garage of the tower.

The cat was on the prowl.

.&.

It didn't take long for Natasha to figure out that something was amiss. She was a well-trained assassin, and as such was trained in the art of observation. Her senses were keen, and she'd known for a couple of weeks that something shifty was going on in the Warehouse district. She'd just suspected some sketchy drug deals or gang fighting, far beneath her area of expertise, so she hadn't mentioned anything and had left the situation alone.

But now she wondered if it had been something far more sinister.

She told Doctor Banner as much, hoping that it could narrow his gamma radiation search a bit.

As it turned out, her instincts were proved correct. Several faint traces of bombs could be found there.

She told Selina to meet her there. Clint drove and wasn't at all surprised when she asked him to stand down for this round. She probably wouldn't need his help, and he was a lot less helpful when he didn't have a high vantage point. Breaking into dark warehouses would not be to his advantage.

They could hear the cat burglar coming from long distance away due to the distinct whirring of the Bat-cycle. Selina threw her legs off the seat after showing off the maneuverability of her favorite toy.

She tossed her windswept ponytail from her face and smiled at the Avengers.

"Would it kill you to be a bit more inconspicuous? It would be to your benefit, since you're a _thief." _Natasha said.

"And I'm not stealing anything, so I don't have to be quiet. I'm not a highly-trained assassin, what do I know about those kinds of things?" Selina said innocently.

Natasha thought it was better to not let the other woman bait her. She just pointed at the warehouse and said, "That's it."

"Are we even sure he's in there?"

"No."

"Than there's only one way to find out." Selina said, suddenly feeling like she needed to make someone _hurt… _preferably the Joker.

"There are _bombs _in there, Selina." Natasha said exasperatedly. She was now regretting allowing the woman to come with them.

"Undetonated ones. We don't have time to poke around and figure out if he's here or not—"

Clint interrupted them, pointing at a figure with green hair standing in the doorway of the warehouse, barely visible. Clint had earned the name "Hawkeye" for a reason. The figure then darted inside.

"I think it's safe to say that at least _someone _is here who shouldn't be."

Selina raised an eyebrow tauntingly. "Are you scared?"

"You wish."

Natasha debated whether to follow the figure or not. It could be a trap, and it was very likely that it was. But they couldn't just let the Joker slip through their fingers, when he was just within their reach…

Selina brushed past her, and Natasha made a sound of protest.

"We can either wait around for the clown to come to us, or we can take him out before he has a chance to hurt anybody else." Selina said.

"There's such a thing as being brave, and then there's rushing into a dangerous situation without a plan. I think they call that stupidity." Natasha told the burglar coldly.

Selina sent her a scathing glare. "I won't abandon him again. I'll do everything in my power to make sure that he's never hurt again… even if that means taking a few risks. Besides, haven't you heard that the greater the risk, the greater the reward?"

Natasha didn't have to ask who "he" was.

Sure, every one of her instincts were screaming at her to wait, she overruled them with her head. Some risks were worth taking. And it seemed to her that she was making many exceptions for Selina Kyle, though she wouldn't dwell on the reasons why.

With a small nod, she followed Selina, hand on the gun at her hip. Selina was doing the same, exercising much more caution now than when she arrived. They crossed the distance between their hiding place and the doorway of the warehouse, standing on either side so that they couldn't be seen from the inside.

Wordlessly, they entered the darkness.

Natasha's eyes adjusted quickly to the hazy blackness, easier since there were a few dim lights hanging from the ceiling. The warehouse was nearly completely empty, except for a few stray boxes strewn around.

"Stay by me," Natasha told the other woman. They took a few more steps inside, wary of any bombs or sudden movement.

"_Do you want to play hide-and-seek? I'll even let you be the cat, and I'll be the mouse." _

The voice was unmistakably the Joker's. They both squinted, finding the source of the voice further into the warehouse.

A few more steps. No explosions.

"_Come and get me, Kitty Cat. Kill me, before I make our favorite Batty my new plaything."_

A few more steps. Selina could feel every move that Natasha made, like they were one person.

"_Do you want to play hide-and-seek? I'll even let you be the cat, and I'll be the mouse."_

Mild confusion, but another five steps. Natasha scanned the railing above them, but saw nothing.

"_Do you want to play hide-and-seek?"_

One more step. And with a metallic clatter that made them both jump, something descended from the ceiling.

.&.

After a few deep breaths, Natasha stilled her beating heart. She may have been an assassin, but she wasn't immune to surprise. She was just better at hiding it than other people.

The thing that had fallen from the ceiling was a metal cage, with wide bars, though not quite wide enough for her to squeeze through.

"Seriously, a _cage?" _Natasha said in disbelief. It was just so incredibly clichéd. Who used cages descending from the ceiling in anything but cartoons?

"It was a trap. He _wanted _us to find this place. I'm not surprised that the Joker is playing with us like this." Selina muttered. She gave the bars an experimental push. They were solid. Part of her had been hoping that they were rubber, another cruel joke or something.

Natasha began to pace angrily, like a trapped tiger, a scornful downturn to her lips.

"Pacing won't help us much," Selina told the assassin, earning a sharp and pointed stare.

Selina raised her hand in mock surrender. "Okay, okay, you win! Pace away, Red."

"How could I be so _stupid…"_

"Hey, don't beat yourself up so much about it. I was the one who let her curiosity get the better of her… it is in my nature, after all."

They were interrupted by a girlish giggle, coming from a woman with a wavy green wig on her head. She was dressed in a red and black jester's costume, with a white ruffled collar. In her hand was an old-fashioned tape recorder, repeating the words _"Do you want to play hide-and-seek?"_

Natasha cursed herself inwardly. In a moment of impulsivity, she'd been tricked by the Joker's henchman. How disgraceful.

"So I take it your boss isn't here."

"Noope! Just me here! He left me with a special job." The woman pulled the wig off her head with a flourish, revealing her blonde pigtails. "He trusts me, you see?"

"You're Harleen Quinzel, am I correct?" Natasha asked, trying to buy some time while she examined her surroundings.

"Gee, I'm flattered—you recognize me! Ma always said I would be famous one day… I don't think she meant like this, but I turned out all right. But you're wrong: I'm not _Harleen Quinzel _anymore," She said with a sneer of derision, "I'm the new and improved _Harley Quinn. _It's the name that my Pudding gave me when I was reborn. When I recognized my true calling._"_

_This girl is absolutely bat-shit crazy! _Selina thought. Natasha kept her expression blank.

"And what job has your boss left you with?"

"It's time for the show, you see?" Harley said, practically twitching with anticipation. "It's really exciting—Mr. J had something really fun planned for you too. See, he was feeling real generous. He was feeling _merciful."_

"What do you mean by that?" Natasha asked.

Harley seemed thrilled by that question. "Well, you know that the Joker's aim is always about _playing _with people. Fun, fun, fun! And you're the victims. So he trapped you like little mice in this cage. But you see, Mr. J _wants _one of you to make it out. But only if you can answer his riddle. Pretty nice of him, right?"

"Remind me to send him a thank-you card," Selina said darkly. "Let me guess—there's a time limit or something? Of course the sick bastard would do something like that."

Suddenly, Harley's face was only inches away from her, spitting on the thief as she yelled, "Don't you _dare _call my Snookums that! I _hate _when people call him names! You don't know him—he's not crazy, no one understands him like I do!"

Natasha and Selina backed away from the bars, Natasha watching the hysterical girl in the costume with distaste.

Calming down, Harley stepped back and took a metal cylinder out of her pocket. She tossed it between the bars into the cage, and laughed when Selina and Natasha jumped away from it.

"Inside there, Mr. J has left you gals the riddle. If you successfully solve it within the time limit, I'll let you out. I promise. Starting from the moment you open that container, you have ten minutes before everything goes _kaboom! _Good luck, gals! Oh, and I wouldn't try and call any of your knights in shining army to come rescue you—you'll be sorry if you do."

She did a back flip away from them, as if she couldn't contain her energy, and ran out the back door.

Selina went to the lock and looked like she wanted have a go at it, even without the canister.

"Wait," Natasha put out a hand to stop her, "This thing is probably rigged to blow if we try to break out without playing his game."

"I think I'll take my chances."

"Just wait a second!" Natasha insisted, putting a hand on her ear-piece to connect to the other Avengers. Even if she was being watched right now, she suspected that she'd be more likely to get out alive with help.

"Dr. Banner, can you hear me?"

There was silence for a moment, than she was relieved to hear the warm and slightly ruffled voice of the Doctor.

_"I'm here. I heard what Harleen Quinzel said to you."_

"Are we in danger here?" Natasha asked. "Can you tell us if there are bombs in this building?"

A short pause, and she assumed he was using his computer or something.

_"I can give you both good and bad news."_

Natasha snorted. "The bad news first."

_"You're pretty much surrounded by bombs."_

"Wonderful..." Selina said behind her, listening in.

_"They're smaller versions of the one that the Joker used in New York. Same gamma radiation signature, same chemical make-up. I figured out that the detonation time is about five seconds. Unfortunately, the blast radius is enough to take out a good section of the street, though Fury has already evacuated the civilians who live here. The trigger is the unlocking of the cage. So basically, I doubt that the Joker ever planned to let you get out alive at all. He just wanted to see you both panic."_

Natasha thought this information over, while Selina asked over her shoulder, mouth brushing against Natasha's ear, "And have you gotten to the good news yet?"

_"That last bit _was _the good news. Because the trigger is you exiting the cage, that means after you get out, you have five seconds to get out of the warehouse. That's plenty of time if you use it well enough. The warehouse isn't too big for that to be a possibility. If you can somehow get out of the cage while Tony is dismantling the bomb, we could save the city a lot of damage. If not… well, the Ironman suit has enough power to get you both out of there with minimal damage."_

"Minimal… but not non-existent?" Natasha asked.

_"Probably not." _Banner sounded apologetic, but Natasha wasn't fazed at all. She was used to risking her life. She always knew that there a good chance that she would come home hurt, or maybe not at all.

Selina was a woman of self-preservation however, and this situation had her grinding her teeth.

"_Okay, I'm turning you to Tony, now. He knows the layout of the warehouse and the bombs. Be accurate, be precise, and it will all work out," _Banner said. Then quietly, _"And be safe, Natasha."_

Selina could have sworn that the assassin's hard expression softened for just a moment, but in a flash it was gone, replaced by a no-nonsense frown.

"I hope this Tony person is really good, or we're gonna be new decoration for the walls."

Natasha grimaced at her imagery. "Tony Stark has proved himself to be very competent in the past—"

_"Damn straight, I have! Saved the whole world, if I remember correctly. If that's not competent, I don't know what is." _The billionaire interrupted loudly, causing Natasha to wince at the volume.

"It was part of New York that you saved, Tony, not the whole world…" She argued half-heartedly. It was a losing-battle to fight against Tony's inflated ego.

_"Same thing. New York is like the heart of the world, if you ask me."_

"_Focus, _Tony."

_"Right, right… Kitten, do you think you can crack that lock without solving the riddle?"_

Selina blinked, realizing that he was addressing her. She turned on her own earpiece and replied confidently. "There's no lock that I can't crack."

"_That's what I like to hear. You tell me exactly when you get that baby open, not a millisecond later, and I'll dismantle the entire system."_

"Confident. I like that," Selina purred.

"_And I assure you that I'm plenty confident in other places too—"_

"Now is _not _the time." Natasha said. Selina didn't look at all mollified, but turned to the lock. It was pretty simple, just a normal round combination lock, like teenagers used in high school. It was almost insultingly simple in fact, like the Joker was playing with them.

He always is, Selina realized. And that pissed her off more than anything else.

She kneeled by the lock, eyebrows drawn in concentration. Natasha was watching her with interest, but she was grateful that the red headed woman didn't question her confidence at all. Between the two of them, Selina did have the most experience after all.

Her fingertips brushed against the plastic part, and she felt an all-too-familiar rush go through her. She was in her _element. _She'd been picking locks and cracking combos since she'd first learned to walk. She never felt so alive as when she successfully stole something right from under her victim's noses… they thought everything was so _safe, _locked up tight. She wished she could stay and see their faces when she proved just how wrong they were, and that _anything _could be taken away easily.

"You know, Mr. Ironman, they tell me I have magical fingers. A _special _touch." Selina said, and heard a chuckle on the other end.

"_Well, if you make it out of this alive, maybe I'll have a chance to experience those magical fingers."_

"Sorry, but they're reserved for Bruce."

"_He's a lucky man, then." _

_No, I'm the one who's lucky. Well, maybe not so lucky today…_

Selina may have seemed distracted, but she was really become more and more intense with every passing second.

Her fingers wavered only for a moment, but then she began to turn the nob confidently. She could feel the mechanisms move, and she listened closely for the correct combination.

Maybe she was blessed by the gods, maybe she'd been cursed as a child… but regardless, this was something unnatural that only Selina Kyle could do.

On the final number, Selina gave a satisfied nod and said, "_NOW!" _As she felt the last click.

Natasha tensed and kicked open the door when Selina tossed the lock away.

"Let's go!"

As they rushed out, Ironman flew in. Tony scanned the wall and found what he was looking for—the place where all of the wiring from the base of the cage met, and also where he could cut the connection to the bombs.

JARVIS was sending him hundreds of pieces of data at once, but Tony was able to discern what he needed. In his head, the clock was ticking down.

Five.

He concentrated on all of the wires in the box, all of them somehow used to trigger the detonation of the bombs.

Four.

He separated a few, knowing that if he chose the wrong one…

Three.

Tony raised his suits hand and was suddenly glad that he'd decided to add the upgrade of a knife to the suit several weeks before.

Two.

He had narrowed his choices down to two wires out of nearly fifty. One red, one blue.

Jesus, it was like he was in some kind of adventure movie.

One.

_Here goes nothing, _He thought cheerfully, snipping the red wire. He wondered vaguely if the red wire was as taboo as the red button.

He braced himself, but there was no explosion. Pumping his fist, he gave a whoop of triumph. He was a _genius._

"You guys can come in now, it's safe!" Tony called out. Natasha and Selina must not have been very far away, because they were back in the warehouse within seconds.

"Good job, Tony." Natasha said with rare praise.

"Thanks, Romanov."

"Just out of curiosity… how did you know which one to cut?" Selina asked, properly impressed.

"JARVIS… that's my A.I computer... guided me most of the way. There was a bit of guesswork involved, but a calculated every probability, and was about 98.8% sure that I would cut the correct one."

"Do you have lots of fun toys like this?" Selina asked, running a slender finger along the metal of the Ironman's suit's arm.

"I'd be glad to give you a ride anytime. I've been told that being flown by this suit is the thrill of a lifetime."

"I may just take you up on that, Stark."

Tony then turned to the Black Widow, "Tasha, Tasha, I thought you were trained for this kind of thing? Walking into a building without checking for bombs or traps first… I'm a little disappointed." Tony shook his head mockingly, but gulped at the fury in Natasha's eyes, her mouth pulled into a snarl. And he could have sworn that he saw her reaching for the gun at her hip…

Tony raised his hands in a placating gesture and rushed to say, "But at least we know that the Joker isn't here. And thanks to Brucey, we know where the other bombs are. Being able to scan the-"

"I can't let you guys go! Mr. J wanted you dead!" A voice came shrilly from above them. Harley Quinn was clutching the railing and watching them from the catwalk. Her blue eyes were wide and wet.

"Well, you don't always get what you want." Selina called up to her sarcastically.

"He'll—he'll kill me! His plans never go wrong! Never!"

"She talks like this Joker guy is freaking god of something." Tony noticed through his suit.

"And that's what makes her dangerous." Natasha said. She watched with a trained eye as Harley raised her trembling hands with two more of the same canisters that she'd given them with the riddle inside. But Selina suspected that they weren't so harmless this time.

Before Tony had time to stop her, she'd launched the canisters into the air, and a noxious gas billowed out from them Selina caught a whiff of the foul stench, and instantly recognized it. She had flashbacks to that horrible night in Gotham, the night full of screams and blood.

"Don't breathe that stuff in! It's fear gas!" Selina said, but she didn't have enough time to cover her own nose. Her vision wavered before her eyes, and then her nightmare began.

.&.

"You've been out for about an hour." Natasha told her. Selina groaned, a headache pounding like a jack hammer within her skull. And it felt a _lot _longer than an hour.

"I got hit by a dose of fear-gas, right?" She asked, brushing her hair out of her face as she sat up from her position against the window. She was in a car of some kind, with tinted windows. She also noticed that someone had changed her clothes—she was out of her Catwoman suit and in a comfortable blue dress with short sleeves, and flats lying next to her feet on the floor.

"You don't remember?"

"It's a little fuzzy towards the end. Had some pretty freaky nightmares, though. Lucky for me that little Harleen didn't have very good aim." She had a bone to pick with that blonde bitch.

"Yes, lucky for us." Natasha agreed a little wryly. "Unfortunately, she got away. Clint did get in arrow in her shoulder, though. We thought it was better to retreat. Besides, I'm sure we'll run into her again."

"Jesus, it's like all of Bruce's enemies are crawling out of the sewers at the same damn time…"

"If I've heard correctly, Bruce Wayne never killed any of his adversaries… except for Al-Ghul." Natasha said without judgment.

Selina shrugged. "I don't know much about that part of Bruce's life. I only met him during the Bane incident. Before that… you'd have to ask him myself."

"It seems that Mr. Wayne may have more insight into these criminal's minds, seeming as they're all problems that he didn't clean up." Natasha said, the clinical, cold hearted part of her rearing its head.

Selina's eyes flashed. "You leave him out of this! Bruce has always done what he thinks is right. He's not a killer, and no one should ever expect him to be!"

"You care for the Batman very much. That's important, Selina—to have someone to protect is what gives each of us on the Avenger's team the power to overcome any adversary."

"You're wrong," she said, "I care about _Bruce Wayne. _Because the Batman was never the one behind the mask. The Batman wasn't the one to give everything up for others. In fact, if it were up to me, the Batman would be buried away forever."

"You were tossing and turning a lot," Natasha said, changing the subject. "What were you dreaming about, if you don't mind me asking."

"I had this horrible dream… that I tried to be a heroine and save the world, and got knocked out by fear-gas for my trouble." In reality, she had a recurring nightmare of the moment that she'd turned Bruce over to the Bane, and the look of betrayal in his eyes.

"Fair enough. But you have my thanks—we couldn't have located the other bombs if Tony hadn't been able to get so close to them. In other words…"

"If I hadn't busted in there without a plan."

"Basically."

"Well, I'm sure as hell never doing _that _again." Selina muttered. "Putting my life in danger for others has never been one of my strong suits. So why do _you _do it, Miss Romanov? I thought that Bruce was the only self-destructive, self-sacrificing super-hero around, but it looks like there's a whole group of them right here in New York. Why are you so willing to die?"

"Atoning for a ledger that's stained red." Natasha said solemnly. She somehow knew that she could be truthful with the cat-burglar.

"A clean slate." Selina said after. "But I'd rather not die for it." She smiled a fraction, feeling a strange kinship to the assassin. Maybe they could become friends after all. Or at least allies.

Selina would work with them, but only until she knew that Bruce's life was in no danger.

"You can go home as soon as you feel a little stronger, Miss Kyle. I'm sure Mr. Wayne is missing your "magical fingers"."

Selina smirked. "After nearly dying together, don't you think we can call each other by our first names?"

"With that logic, I'd be on a first name basis with nearly every SHIELD agent." Natasha punctuated with a tiny smile. Selina sucked in a breath.

"How much time-?"

"Just under nine hours left."

"So why did you let me sleep? Shouldn't we be out there—"

"I made sure that you were having no terrible side affects from the gas. Now that you're well, I'll go back to SHIELD for further orders. We just have to send teams out to find them all, but they're being located as we speak. The Joker won't win, Miss Kyle. We'll make sure of that," Natasha said, noting her unease. "Rest, Selina. You've done more than enough."

Selina closed her eyes and let the car relax her as she was driven home.

.&.

Granted, her "home" was currently sharing a hotel room with Bruce, but it was more than enough.

She walked herself from the lobby and up a flight of stairs to the door, knocking lightly. She didn't have energy for more than that.

Bruce opened the door and his face lit up when he realized who it was.

"Selina! Are you okay?!" Bruce asked, pulling her into an embrace.

"I'm fine, Bruce." She replied, relishing in his worry. It was nice to be fawned over, even if she had to risk her life to get it. Sadly, her head was paying the price, and she felt heavy and sluggish. Selina rarely felt either of those things in her life.

"I just want to take a bath and relax for a while." Selina told him, extracting herself from his arms and making her way towards the bathroom of their room. Bruce looked like he wanted to go after her, but decided that she deserved some privacy after the day she'd been through.

.&.

Bruce tried not to let his eyes wander too much when Selina came out with only a towel covering her nakedness, a serious expression on her face. She smelled fresh but somehow still retained her spicy, natural scent.

"Is something wrong?" He asked cautiously.

"This is. _Everything _is wrong, Bruce! How did we end up in such a screwed up situation again. Who says that we have to be the ones to save the day?" Selina said thickly, finishing so quietly that Bruce had to strain to hear her, "Why can't we just be happy?

"Selina… I'm happy everyday that we're both alive. Everyday that I know that the world may not be a safe place, but it is full of light and love. People like you and I are no longer blind to the darkness in this world… but that doesn't mean that we can't be happy."

"Maybe it's time for Gotham to come crumbling to the ground… it's built on a foundation of lies, after all." Selina quipped, avoiding Bruce's touch. She remembered her history class during school (when she's actually been able to afford to go) when her teacher had taught them all about the great Roman Empire, and those that had followed. He'd sternly told the class that "every empire must eventually fall, no matter how great."

"You're not the first person to believe that."

Selina sat down beside him, and he could smell the sweetness as well of the spicyness of her clean skin from their close proximity.

"And I won't be the last," She said stonily, "Bane was just the beginning. We can't protect this city forever, Bruce. You may try to pretend that you're invincible, that you're an infallible hero… but you're only human. Someone bigger and badder will always come along—and hero or no hero, you could lose."

"I've never been a hero, Selina. And neither are you. None of the Avengers are, and that's what makes them able to succeed. They have _surpassed _heroism."

"I'm doing this for _you_, Bruce." She said sullenly. She hoped he was fucking _grateful._ "All this heroism bullshit… it just isn't for me."

"You care about Gotham just as much as I do," Bruce argued, "We both helped to save it. It's our responsibility."

"I stopped feeling like I owed Gotham city anything when I saw my best friend start turning tricks when we were barely thirteen. When I had to abandon my sister just so we'd both survive. When I saw a little boy murdered on the streets for trying to steal money for food." She paused, nostrils flaring with indignation, "The only time when I felt even a spark of hope for that city was after I met _you."_

Selina rarely mentioned her sister, but he didn't comment on that. More questions for another day."I still believe that Gotham is worth saving. It always will be."

Selina burst out, "How can you _say _that! After everything you've been through?!"

"I've seen so much good, Selina. Even if it was something as small as a rookie cop offering me comfort in the form of a jacket. Or someone who honestly just wants to help people. Citizens who love one another. It's those small things that are worth trying to protect. That's why I became the Batman. That's why I think that you should join the Avengers. Fight for the good in the world."

Selina took a deep breath and wrapped her arms around herself. "I can't forgive the people who did this to you. Who made you into this hero, yet they abandoned you without a second thought. People who wanted _justice, _but wouldn't save the only true hero that ever walked the streets of Gotham. What's the point in following such a corrupt system? You lost _everything, _Bruce! And for what? What is there to gain from being _good?" _She said with derision.

She was _scared. _And the fact that she didn't want to dig herself out of the hole she'd landed herself in frightened her even more. She didn't know what it was like to be on the side of justice. Sure, she'd stolen from the rich, but she'd hardly been an everyday Robin Hood. She stole because she was rather vindictive, and she'd wanted to make them feel just a fraction of the suffering that people less fortunate than them felt everyday. That didn't make her a good person, just a cruel one. She was _nothing _like Bruce.

Bruce said clearly, "I didn't lose everything, I gave it up... there is a big difference. For something that I thought was worth protecting. And really, what did I have to lose, Selina? My giant mansion, empty of anyone who I ever loved? A city that was full of walking ghosts from my past? I was ready to move on. And I gained something much more important." His voice grew softer towards the end. He took Selina's hands in his.

"I'm just grateful that I have you. You are the greatest treasure that I gained from all of this." He said. Tenderly, he pulled Selina closer and kissed her. She let herself forget all that they'd been talking about.

"I love you, Bruce Wayne."

**Yayyy, she said it! I thought that I should have Selina say the l word at least once in this fic… I hope it seemed natural. And I hope you didn't think that is was way too mushy…. Give me your opinions on that. I planted many pairing seeds in this chapter, did anyone notice? ****I gotta say, I loved delving into some more character analysis of Selina in this chapter. She's just so freaking **_**complex, **_**you know? Walking a thin line between good and bad. By the way, I haven't forgotten the riddle… it was important, even though Natasha and Selina blew it off. **

**Like it? Love it? REVIEW IT.**


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